[Aekos]

We have to two Right Wing Conservative Parties.

*sigh*

America isn't Europe. We have a different culture and different political standards. Democrats are center-left.

[JohnRawls]

Code: Select allWe have to two Right Wing Conservative Parties.

And europe has mostly all left wing liberal parties , so what ?

[Wolfman]

Democrats are centre-left.

No, they're Center-Right. Or atleast all of there major politicians are.



(I cann't find one that has individuals by party)

[PBVBROOK]

I'll try Oxy.

I am left of center. Most important to me are:

Resoration of the Middle Class.

Individual freedoms (speech, privacy etc)

Freedom OF religious expression.

Immigration reform.

Disassociation of government from business. (Campaign finance reform, lobby reform, etc,)

The environment.

Strong Defense.

Balanced budget. (Pay as you go.)

I would be willing to compromise with the right on:

Limits to abortion (though not making it illegal)

Decentralizing government. (A more state oriented view.)

Limited privitizing of education.

Immigration reform.

National Health Care.

What I would like to see the party platform call for:

Elimination of corporate lobbying.

Strong Privacy laws.

Taxes on overseas employment and profits by US companies. (Require US public companies to pay payroll taxes on offshore employees.)

Trade reform.

Elimination of illegal immigration by employer sanction. Limited amnesty.

Taxes on dirty energy to encourage and fund clean energy.

Free post high school education with an emphasis on vocational technical skills as well as College.

Modernize our military and bring them home. Defense policy should be we don't get involved unless threatened and when threatened we respond with overwhelming force.

Universal health care through employers with a public option for small business, the unemployed and part-time employees just to keep things honest.

Banning late term abortion without a court order, parental notification for people under 18 seeking abortion and government sponsored/funded adoption options. Otherwise a woman's right to choose is unquestionable.

Limit US involvement in UN sponsored military adventures.

Strict regulation of the banking and finance industries.

Get the central government out of functions better handeled at the state or local level. (Education, welfare, policing, etc.)

[Oxymoron]

I can get behind some of those, aside the foriegn policy approach you want to take.

By Immigration reform what do you have in mind?

[PBVBROOK]

I believe that every country and a vested interest in who comes to live there. We are no different. Illegal immigration drives down middle class wages, displaces workers and creates a permenent underclass. I believe illegal immigration is unfair to the immigrant and to the US worker he/she displaces. I believe that the notion that illegals 'only do work that Americans won't do' is utter nonsense. I know this because I grew up at a time when Americans DID do the work. The correct statement should be this: 'Illegal workers will work for wages that US workers can't/won't work for.

The place to fight illegal immigration is at the employer level. It is simple to create a system by which the employer to verifies the immigration status of an individual. The Social Security administration can track every penny I earn and can tell if someone is using my social security number without my consent. The same system can verify employment eligability with a phone call. I would strongly sanction employers for hiring illegals and devote a considerable number of our current ICE folks to workplace enforcement.

But we have some 12+ million illegals in the US now. We can't deport them and we won't even try. Time to bring them into the fold. I would offer one-time amnesty to individuals who have been paying taxes for 5 or more years, who are gainfully employed and who have comitted no offenses. Those with criminal records would be deported. Those here less than five years or who have not been paying taxes will be deported and will have to reapply for admittance. This amnesty is essentially a green card which they will have to hold for an additional 5 years before applying for citizenship. If they commit criminal offenses while holding this card they will be deported. They are not eligable for welfare payments while in green card status.

Some employers say they can't find qualified US employees to do certain work. Fine. Allow them to apply to hire an overseas employee. This employee will have a temporary work visa renewed every two years. After 10 years the employee can apply for permenent residence. The employer must pay the employee the prevailing wage for US workers in that job and must provide complete health care and disability insurance at the company's expense. Guest workers will not be eligable for government benefits including social security though they will pay into the social security system on the chance that they might later apply for residency.

[Wolfman]

It occurs to me Oxy, that there are several centrist parties in the US. Maybe you should join one of them? Modern Whig, Unity, Labor. Wikipedia has an article about political parties in the US and it includes a couple centrist parties.

[Oxymoron]

Whigs seem to be disorganized.

PBV seems very pragmatic. I think setting aside firecracker issues, and centrists from both sides can find common ground and push a pragmatic policy position.

[Wolfman]

The only one of the parties I mentioned that outlines some policy suggestions is the Unity Party. I'm waiting to get a reply from the local chapter about clearing up some murky areas of there policy.

But, I would suggest that you join an established party and try to gain some rep with them.

[Jackal]

I would be very interested in this. Doubt it would even be successful though.

In any case:

-Freedom of Speech
-Pro-Life
-Pro-Gun with restrictions on who can acquire them and how they must be carried (I like Florida's laws on this)
-Non-interventionism
-Conserving the enviornment
-Immigration reform
-Strong national defense
-Drop support for Israel
-Self-sustaining energy
-Reduction in foreign aid
-Healthcare reform but not necessarily universal public healthcare
-Fiscal conservatism
-Limit US involvement in UN sponsored military adventures.
-Strict regulation of the banking and finance industries.
-National Service obligations similar to Israel. This must only be attempted to be set up after Non-interventionism
-Reduce support for Israel significantly
-Taxes on overseas employment and profits by US companies. (Require US public companies to pay payroll taxes on offshore employees.)
-Improve the Education system and look for ways to make it more affordable
-Agrarianism
-Fix the prison system
-Pro-Death Penalty
-Decriminalization of Marijuana (I don't support the use of marijuana, but the figures of those incarcerated due to minor marijuana crimes is a little ridiculous)

These are some of the things that I would personally like to see. I know not everything would be included but there are some in there that I am very passionate about. I also do not support Gay Marriage but I am willing to compromise (i.e. allow gay marriage if you significantly tighten restrictions on abortions).

EDIT: Thanks PBVBROOK for some ideas.

[Nandi]

Untill legislative action reforms the current "winnen-takes-it-all" voting system, any other parties will sadly have a negligible influence. Seeing how such a reform is a threat to the current two-party state, I highly doubt any elected representative would be in favor.

[Wolfman]

Here's a thought Oxy, and anyone else that might be interested.

Defense Policy:
- Divide Mainland US (no territories, Alaska or Hawaii) into 100 districts, with lines drawn by population (so that each district includes 1% of the population of the Mainland).
- Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico each have there own Military Districts, with the various outlying Territories (American Samoa, Virgin Islands, so on) have a remote post of Hawaii
- Each district includes a Combined Arms Base (mix of Army and Airforce with Navy as appropriate).
- The Army and Airforce are re-tasked to be primarily defensive, with the Marine Corps being primarily for offensive purposes.
- The Marine Corps being maintained to staff a handful of foreign bases*
- Each Military District has one overall commander, with the chain of command then going to 1 commander per 5 Districts, and then 1 charge overall of the Mainland Defenses
- 1 in charge of Alaska, Hawaii, PR, and the Outlying Territories
- Have a similar set up for FOBs (1 for 5 FOBs, with an overall commander).
- Have the Commander of the Mainland Defenses, Outlying Territories, and Foreign Bases joining the Defense Council.

* In the Marine Corps we call foreign bases FOBs, Forward Observation Base. The purpose is to provide us with a place to leap-frog and reduce the amount of time needed to get into a country. So, one FOB per 5% of the worlds population should be more then good.

[Oxymoron]

This strategy seems to be flawed by potential giant miscommunication, corruption, abuse of power, and the division and destruction of the US in my opinion.

[Wolfman]

How? I don't mind if you criticize, but how?

[Oxymoron]

Who divides?

Does each district control its military leading to potential conflict?

[Wolfman]

Who divides?

It's based on national population (which I said). California has about 12% of the US population, so it would have 12 military districts.

Does each district control its military leading to potential conflict?

Are you high? The only difference between this and what exists is about the distribution of military power.

[Oxymoron]

It's based on national population (which I said). California has about 12% of the US population, so it would have 12 military districts.

So they would become a superpower?

Are you high? The only difference between this and what exists is about the distribution of military power.

If I am not mistaken only the Gaurd is controlled by States, the other military units are under direct control of the Executive branch.

[Wolfman]

So they would become a superpower?

Seriously, are you high right now?

If I am not mistaken only the Gaurd is controlled by States, the other military units are under direct control of the Executive branch.

I'm not talking about changing that. I'm talking about the distribution of military power in the US. Maybe a map will help.



OK, this is a map of the US with it's military bases on it. Notice how random it is? I'm talking about re-distributing them to be based on national population. That's it. Nothing more, nothing less.

[Oxymoron]

What would that accomplish exactly?

[Wolfman]

It would be a rational distribution of military power, and it would work with re-tasking the Army and Airforce to being primarily defensive.